﻿Rebecca RubsamenAmateur Radio Operator KJ6TWMBentley High School student in Northern CAAspires to get more young women involved in STEMfor questions beccarubsamen@hotmail.com

There are not enough young women involved in STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). In order to tackle this problem in my area I applied for a NASA space contact with the International Space Station. I was fortunate enough to win one of the 50 annual contact slots worldwide. I then built an uplink station in order for elementary school kids no matter the city, financial situation, or language to learn about space science. My passion for science and technology allowed me to dive deeper into STEM education. I created lesson plans for elementary schools across the bay area and invited schools with under developed science programs to participate in the contact. On November 13th, 2013 using the radio and antenna system that I built in my backyard, 20 elementary school kids were able to ask questions to an astronaut aboard the International Space Station. Hundreds of students were in the audience learning and even more tuned in online. Check out the full video of the contact below!

Full video of ISS Contact

Astronaut James Van Hoften and I at Rancho Romero Science Night talking to community about my radio contact to the ISS. He has logged over 3,300 hours of flying time and is an amazing role model. It was a privilege to work with him throughout the space contact. Pictured with us is the Elecraft K3 radio that I built especially for the contact.

I built my own antenna system and radio for this contact. My favorite part the of the project was teaching the elementary school kids, who attend schools with underdeveloped science programs, about radios and how even a regular kid can build their own antenna system.

Tim Bosma, W6MU, served as the ARISS mentor for the contact. He told the Contra Costa Times newspaper that Becca was among the youngest people to act as a lead operator” for a school contact. “It’s very impressive,” he said, adding that it was something he had not seen in his 30 years as a mentor for the program. He is working with Becca as they plan the installation of a VHF/UHF ground station at Rancho Romero to work Amateur Radio satellites.